Portable traction device



larch 31, 1970 J. G. PETERS 3,503,390

PORTABLE TRACTION DEVICE Filed March 7, 1967 INVENTORZ JOHN G. PETERS W United States Patent 3,503,390 PORTABLE TRACTION DEVICE John G. Peters, 814 Roslyn Ave., West Chester, Pa. 19380 Filed Mar. 7, 1967, Ser. No. 621,295 Int. Cl. A61h 1/02, 5/04 US. Cl. 128-75 5 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A portable traction device comprising a tripod structure having telescoping adjustable legs demountable from an apex member, a downwardly depending member secured to the apex member and having means such as a cross arm for suspending weight pulleys, the downwardly depending member being of sufficient length to provide lateral and vertical stability to the structure when weights are suspended from the pulleys.

The present invention relates generally to traction devices and relates more particularly to a portable traction device that may be set up at the foot of a bed and adjusted to the proper height to support the weighted ends of horizontal traction lines extending over the foot of the bed.

Treatment of certain back ailments and recovery from certain types of operations often involves the application of traction. This treatment is normally provided in a hospital using elaborate and expensive traction equipment. In one type of traction to which the present invention is directed, a special harness or girdle is fitted over the hips of the patient to which weight lines are connected at each side thereof. The weight lines are lead horizontally over the end of the bed to a device adapted for suspending weights at the ends of the lines.

While in most cases a carefully supervised traction program in a hospital is necessary or highly desirable, there are many instances in which such traction treatment may be equally well accomplished at the patients home with a great saving of time and expense, particularly in the later stages of recovery. In addition, traction may often be employed without direct professional supervision to give relief from pains attributed to slipped discs or simply to relieve tired back muscles.

There has not heretofore been developed, however, to applicants knowledge, a piece of equipment of a portable, inexpensive design which can be used to effectively carry out such treatment. The present device has been specifically developed for such purpose and has been designed to permit disassembly into a relatively small package.

The present device comprises essentially a tripod frame having telescoping, adjustable legs and having a pulley supporting means attached at the lower end of an adjustable member depending downwardly from the apex of the frame. For use, the device is set up at the foot of a bed and is properly adjusted to position the pulleys at a height slightly above that of the bed mattress. The weight lines are then led through the pulleys and, due to the pulley location well below the tripod apex, the necessary stability is provided to prevent any lateral or vertical movement of the device regardless of the movements of the patient.

In view of the above it is accordingly a first object of the present invention to provide a traction device of a portable type which may be easily collapsed and assembled and which, in its collapsed condition, occupys a relatively small space.

A further object of the invention is to provide a portable traction device as described which, when assembled, may be adjusted to accommodate beds of varying heights.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a portable traction device as described which is characterized by an exceptional lateral and vertical stability.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a portable traction device as described which may be inexpensively manufactured of lightweight materials and which can be easily erected and placed in use without special tools of any kind.

Additional objects and advantages of the present invention will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description of an embodiment thereof when taken together with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a portable traction device embodying the present invention; and

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the traction device of FIG. 1 as employed at the foot of a bed during treatment of a patient.

Referring to the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates a portable traction device generally designated 10 embodying the present invention and including a tripod frame 12. The tripod frame comprises a pair of adjustable front legs 14 and 16 and an adjustable rear leg 18 which are removably received at the upper ends thereof within an apex member 20. The three legs 14, 16 and 18 include upper tubular leg members 14a, 16aand 18a within which lower tubular leg members 14b, 16b and 18b are respectively disposed in telescoping relation. Adjustment of the lengths of the legs is accomplished by means of pins 22 in holes 24 near the lower ends of the upper leg members with which spaced holes 26 in the lower leg members are selectively aligned. Rubber tips 28 are preferably provided at the lower ends of the legs to prevent lateral movement of the device. The tips further serve to prevent marring of the floor by the legs, which are preferably made of aluminum tubing or by similar strong lightweight material.

The apex member 20 includes three downwardly depending hollow leg sockets 30 into which the upper ends of the upper leg members 14a, 16a and 18a are slidably inserted. Fastening means are not required to secure the leg ends within the sockets 30, assuming a relatively tight sliding fit of the legs is provided. The apex member is preferably an aluminum casting or of molded synthetic construction in view of its irregular shape. Depending downwardly from the apex member 20 between the leg sockets 30 is a central socket 32 within which is fixedly secured such as by pinning, threading or other suitable means, the upper end of a vertical support member 34. In the present instance, the support member 34 comprises a tubular upper member 34a and a slightly smaller tubular lower member 34b slidably fitted for telescoping movement therewithin. The length of the support member 34 may be adjusted by means of a pin 36 in transverse hole 38 in the upper member 34a, the pin 36 also passing through one of the spaced holes 40 in the lower member 34b. Attached to the lower end of the vertical support member 34 is a horizontal weight arm 42 which passes through a hole 44 in the lower end of the lower member 34b. Weight pulleys 46 are secured to the outer ends of the arm 42 at an equal distance from the vertical support member by means of appropriate swivel fastenings 48.

For use at the foot of a bed 50 as shown in FIG. 2, the device is assembled by inserting the legs in the sockets 30 of the apex member 20 and adjusting the leg length by means of the pins 22 so that the apex of the tripod frame 12 stands well above the level of the bed. The front legs 14 and 16 should both be placed adjacent the foot end 52 of the bed so that the weight pulleys 46 will be generally aligned with the patients position on the bed. The vertical support member 34 is then adjusted by means of the pin 36 to position the pulleys at a level slightly 3 above the surface 54 of the bed mattress as illustratedin FIG. 2. The cross arm 42 is parallel withthe plane of the front legs 14 and 16 to provide a maximum stability ofthedevice.

With the tripod frame positioned in the manner described, the traction lines 56, which are secured to the patient in a conventional manner, are passed over the end of the bed, through the pulleys 46, and connected to weights 58 suspended therebelow. The weights tension the lines 56 in the usual manner to provide the desired tractive force on the patient.

The tripod frame of the device with the depending support element 34 provides an unusually rigid weight supporting structure. The location of the weight pulleys at a substantial distance below the apex of the tripod frame insures a lateral and vertical stability which prevents movement of the device regardless of the patients movements. The stability of the device may be further enhanced by shortening the'rear leg 18 to provide a greater angle of inclination of the front legs 14 and 16 as shown in FIG. 2.

The cross arm 42 which supports the pulleys 46 should be no longer than the spread of the front legs 14 and 16 at the highest point at which the cross arm may be positioned. Otherwise, the weight lines 56 would be apt to foul the front legs of the frame and the device would be substantially less stable.

The device may be quickly disassembled for traveling or storage by removing the pins 22 and telescoping the lower leg members into the upper leg members, slidably removing the legs from the sockets 30 of the apex member 20, and telescoping the lower member 34b within the upper member 34a. The device in the knocked down condition will easily fit within a suitcase for convenient and inconspicuous travel.

From the foregoing it can be understood that the present device provides a relatively simple, sturdy portable traction device. The device may be utilized with beds of practically any height and may be quickly and easily assembled and adjusted. The device is thus ideally suited for those suffering from chronic back ailments who need the relief of occasional traction as well as those recuperating from specific injuries after hospital treatment.

The device may be economically manufactured in View of the fact that most of the elements can be constructed of commercially available sizes of aluminum tubing which also provides a desirable light weight of the unit. The

the spirit and the scope of the invention as defined in and limited solely by the appended claims.

I claim: 1. A portable traction device adapted for self-support- 4 ing disposition at the end of a bed to support a pulley weight attached by a line to a traction patient on the bed comprising, a tripod frame comprising an apex member and three legs extending downwardly from said apex member, each of said legs comprising at least: two tubular telescoping leg ,members, means for adjusting the length of each leg, a rigid pulley support means extending downwardly from said tripod frame, said pulley support means comprising a substantially vertical downwardly depending support member rigidly secured to said apex member, and at least one pulley attached to the lower end of said pulley support means, said pulley being located by said support means a sufiicient distance below said apex mem- 3 ber to provide stability of said device when a weight is supported therebelow with the weight line extending subapex member 20 is the only element which would have to be specially fabricated for the present device.

Manifestly, changes in details of construction can be effected by those skilled in the art without departing from stantially horizontally therefrom to the bedridden patient. 2. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said pulley support means includes a horizontal crossarm'connected to the lower end of said support member, and a pulley attached to each end of said crossarm.

3. The device as claimed in claim 2 wherein said crossarm has a length less than the horizontal distance between the legs at the elevation of the crossarm.

4. A portable traction device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said apex member includes three downwardly depending sockets adapted to slidably receive said legs.

5. A portable traction device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said support member comprises at least two telescoping tubular members, and means for adjusting the relation of said tubular members to vary the length of said support member and hence the position of said pulleys beneath the apex of said tripod frame.

References Cited I,

UNITED STATES PATENTS I Howe 2s4 139 RICHARD A. GAUDET, Primary Examiner JOHN D. YASKO, Assistant Examiner us. 01. X.R. 

